Control valve



R. C. BAKER CONTROL VALVE May 30, 1950 INVENTOR. CI BAKER,

a .Rev/saw Patented May 30, 1950 f CONTROL VALVE Reuben C. Baker, Coalinga, Calif., assixnor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Vernon, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 20, 1946, Serial No. 685,024

Claims.

This invention relates to control valves', and

more particularly to valves especially designed for operation in connection with well devices, such as well packers and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide' an improved control valve capable of incorporation in a tubular well string, and which normally tends to remain in open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve adaptedior incorporation in a tubular string and designed to resist the valve closing tendencies of nuid pressure to which it, or devices to which it may be attached, might be subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control valve adapted for incorporation in a tubular string, and having parts tending to hold the valve in open position which may be readily assembled and dismantled tor the purpose, among others, of facilitating cleaning and maintenance of the valve parts.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a tubular control valve having a spring device tending to maintain the valve in open position, and which does not obstruct the central bore through the valve.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a tubular control valve embodying a spring device tending to hold the valve in one operative position, and which may be removed readily from the valve, if desired, without impairing the ability f of the valve to function.

The invention has other objects which will become apparent from a consideration of the embodment shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will nowbe described in detail, but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a'limited sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the control valve, in 'open position, secured to a retrievablepacker whose parts are retracted from a well casing in which `the apparatus is disposed;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, with the control valve closed and the packer anchored in packed offrcondition within the well casing;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the control valve in open position;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the control valve is closed position; and

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 3.

In the drawings, a tubular valve A, embodying 2 the invention, has its upper end connected to the lower end of a string of tubing or drill pipe B, and its lower end to a packer C of the re'trievable type, specifically described in my Patents :2,368,400 and 2,368,401, and designed for anchoring to a. casing D.

The well packer C includes a. plurality of slips I0 cooperable Wit-h a tapered expander -I I, below which is located a packing sleeve I2 abutting the lower end of the packer body I3. As explained in the above patents, a drag device I I tends to resist movement of the slips along the casing. which enables upward movement of the tubing string B and its connected control valve A to move the expander I l upwardly within the slips Il and shift the latter outwardly into anchoring engagement with the casing D. A continuation of this upward strain moves the body DOItion Il of the well packer toward the expander II and com-l presses the packing sleeve I2 into iirm sealing engagement with the casing wall.

The tubular control valve A includes telescopically arranged inner and outer members I5, Il. The outer member has an upper collar I1 threaded on the lower end of the tubular string B, to which a depending tubular cylinder or barrel I 8 is secured, as by welding material I9. The lower end of this barrel or housing is welded to a depending sleeve 20 having an inner cylindrical valve seat 2|, which, in turn, is threadedly secured to a rotary coupling member 22 having spaced interna1 longitudinally extending splines 23 adapted to cooperate with external longitudinally extending splines 2l secured on the inner member or tubular mandrel I5, threaded in the upper end of the packer C. The splines 23, 24 serve as a coupling for transmitting rotary movement oi the outer member I6 tothe inner member I5.

A packing ring or sleeve 25 of rubber or rubber- ,like material is suitably secured on the' upper end of the mandrel I5, as by being clamped between a head 26 threaded on the mandrel and a lower ring 21 welded thereto. The external diameter of this sleeve 25is substantially the same as the internal diameter of the cylindrical valve seat 2i so as to close the annular passage 28 between the cylindrical housing I8 and mandrel I5 when the packing I. sleeve 25 is disposed within the seat 2l.

' In the operation of the combination of apparatus described, elevation of the tubular string B and control valve A not only eiects setting oi' the removable packer C, but also moves the outer member I6 upwardly along the mandrel I5 and disposes the sleeve 20 over the resilient packing 25, to prevent passage of uid down through the tubular string B, between the mandrel `l and housing I8, and between the cooperable splines 23, 24, to the exterior of the valve device. When the packing ring 25 is disposed in sealing engagement with its seat 2|, the fluid must pursue a path through the central passage 29 oi .the telescopic valve device, flowing down through the tubular string B, cylinder I8, mandrel I5, and packer C to a point below the packer.

When the tubing string B is lowered, in order toV open the valve A and release the packer C from its anchored position within the casing D, a

clearance space 30 exists between the packing ring 25 and the inner wall of the cylinder I3, allowing the uid to pass in either direction between the tubular string B and tubing-casing annulus 3| around the tubing, by flowing through the annulus 28 between the mandrel I5 and cylinder I8. Downward movement oi the tubing string B and tubular cylinder I8 with respect to the mandrel I5 is limited by engagement of the mandrel head 26 with depending lugs 32 on the upper collar II, between which uid may flow into the annulus 28 between the mandrel and cylinder when the valve device is in collapsed position.

The valve device is normally maintained in yopen position by a spring device, consisting of. a compressed helical spring 33 having its upper end bearing against a retainer or abutment 34 welded on the exterior of the mandrel I5 vand its lower end against a ring 35 slidable along the mandrel, y

tubular mandre1and'cylinder-annulus 28 and the,

tubular mandrel and housing annulus 38 to the exterior of the device A.

The spring arrangement is such that the spring member 32 tends to hold the tubular mandrel |5 in anelevated position with respect to the cylinder I8, in which position the packing ring 25 is disposed above its cooperable cylindrical seat 2 I, placing the valve in open position. It is apparent that the upper end of the spring exerts an upward force on the tubing mandrel I5 through its attached abutment 34, and that the lower end of the spring exerts a lowering force on the cylinder I8 through the attached cylindrical housing 31 and spline connection 22. Thus, the spring 33 tends to urge and maintain the valve member in open position, to permit ow of iiuid in either direction between the interior of the tubular string B and the tubing-casing annulus 3|.

' In the operation of the device in conjunction with the retrievable packer disclosed, the valve remains in open position while the mechanism is being run in the well casing to the desired setting point. Fluid can pass upwardly through the well packer C and the central passage 29 of the valve device into the tubing string B, and it may also pass around the retracted packer and enter the valve device through the side ports 38, the mandrel and spring housing annulus, between the cooperable splines on the mandrel and sleeve 39, and through the mandrel and cylinder annulus 28, around the elevated packing ring 25, into and through the spaces 40 between the lugs 32 into the interior of the upper collar I'I, from where it flows up into the tubular string.

When the point in the casing is reached at which the retrievable packer is to be set, the tubular string B is moved upwardly. to elevate the tubular mandrel I5 through the intermediary of the compressedspring 33. At -nrst, the valve remains in open position until the slips `I8 are engaged against the casing D and suiiicient force has been exerted to expand the packing I2 against the casing, which holds the mandrel I5 in fixed position and permits the continued upward movement oi' the tubular string B to elevate the cylinder I8 and its attached sleeve 22 and housing 31 with respect to the mandrel, compressing the spring 33 and raising the parts until the cylindrical sleeve seat 2| is disposed completely over As soon as the strain is removed from.the I tubular string B, as by lowering it slightly. the spring 33 tends to immediately lower the cylindrical seat 2| with respect to the packing 25,

moving the two parts relatively to a collapsed position in which the valve member is open (Figure 3) may be pumped down the tubular string B., through the space I0 between the lugs 32, and down along the mandrel l5, exiting through the side ports 38 in the housing 31 to the exterior of the device, from where it may'ow upwardly through the tubing-casing annulus 3| to the top oi' the well bore. l Ii desired, the circulating .or washing fluid maybe pumped in the reverse direction by being forced initially into the tubingcasing annulus 3|, entering the valve device through the side' ports 33, flowing upwardly through the annulus 33, 28 around the tubular mandrel I5 and around the packing ring 25, and over the top of the mandrel head23, back into the cylinder I8, I1 for passage to the top of the well bore.

'I'he spring arrangement insures that any excess cement slurry or other uids in the tubing string may be washed therefrom, even' though the well packer C has not or does not release completely from the well casing as the result of lowering the tubing string. The spring exerts enough force to break the sealing engagement between the packing ring 25 and its cooperable cylindrical seat 2|. Moreover, when reverse circulation takes place, the tendency ot the iluid pumped down through the tubing-casing annulus 3| to act. on a partly retracted packing I2 and move the packer C downwardly, and with it the tubular mandrel I5 downwardly, to position the packing ring 25 in valve closing position back within the cylindrical sleeve 2|, is oiiset or over- Thereafter, circulating or other uid.

the housing 3"l from the .spline sleeve 22 and removing the housing 31, its lower ring 3B and spring 33 from assembled position around the mandrel I5. Thereafter, the valve device may be used without the spring force being available tending to hold it in open position.

The facility with which the spring portion of the mechanism may be removed makes it rela.- tively easy and simple for the valve device to be assembled at the well location. The housing 31, ring 35 and spring 33 need only be moved over the lower end of the tubular mandrel i5 and the upper end of the housing threaded onto the spline sleeve 22. Conversely, the members just described are readily removed by unthreading the housing from the spline sleeve, which allows any cementitious or other hardenable materials that may have been deposited around the spring to be cleared away easily.

The disposition of the spring in the annulus around the mandrel not only tends to maintain the valve in open position, but it leaves the central bore or passage 28 through the valve device completely unobstructed, avoiding impedance to the free flowing of the cementitious materials or other fluids down through the valve passage, and leaving no obstruction to the gravitation of bridging or valve members, or the like, through the valve A.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A control valve adapted for connection to a tubing string or the like, including an inner tubular member movable longitudinally with re speot to an outer member and spaced from the outer member to form a passage therebetween through which fluid may flow between the interior of said inner member and the exterior of said outer member, valve elements carried by said members and engageable with one another upon relative axial movement of said members to prevent such ow of fluid, and spring means around the exterior of said inner member urging said valve elements to disengaged position.

2. A control valve adapted for connection to a tubing string or the like, including an inner tubular member movable longitudinally with respect to an outer member, valve elements carried by said members and engageable with one another upon relative axial movement of said members to prevent fluid flow between the interior and exterior of said control valve, and elastic means around the exterior of said inner member urging said valve elements to disengaged position.

3. A control valve adapted for connection to a tubular string or the like, including an inner tubular member movable longitudinally with respect to an outer member, valve elements carried by said members and occupying one position upon relative axial movement of said members, in engagement with one another to prevent .fluid flow between the interior and exterior oi' said control valve and another position out of engagement with one another permitting such fluid flow, and elastic means around the exterior of said inner member urging said valve elements to one of said positions.

4. A control valve adapted for connection to a tubing string or the like, including an inner tubular member movable longitudinally with respect to an outer member, valve elements carried by said members and engageable with one another upon relative axial movement of said members to prevent fluid flow between the interior and exterior of said control valve, and spring means around the exterior of said inner member and bearing against said inner and outer members to urge said valve elements longitudinally of one another to disengaged position.

5. A control valve adaptedfor connection to a tubing string or the like, including telescopically arranged inner and outer tubular members, valve elements on said members engageable with one another when said members are in extended position to prevent ow of fluid between the interior and exterior of said `control valve, and spring means around the exterior of said inner member and bearing against said inner and outer members to urge them to contracted position and said valve' i tween the interior of said inner member and the exterior of said outer member, valve elements on said members engageable with one another when said members are in extended' position to close said annular passage, and spring means around the exterior of said inner member for urging said members' to contracted position and said valve elements to disengaged position.

7. A control valve adapted for connection to a tubular string or the like, including telescopioally arranged inner and outer tubular members spaced from one another to form' an annular passage therebetween, valve eiements on said. members engageable with one another when said members are in extended position to close said annular passage, a housing detachably secured to said outer member to one side of the valve element on said outer member, and a spring in said housing bearing against said housing and inner member and tending to urge Vsaid members to contracted piisition and said valve elements to disengaged pos ion.

8. A control valve adapted for connection to a' tubular string or the like, including telescopically arranged inner and outer tubular members spaced from one another to form' an annular passage therebetween, valve elements on' said members engageable with one another upon relative axial movement of said members to close said annular passage, a housing detachably secured to said outer member and extending along said 'inner member to one side of said valve elements, and a spring in said housing bearing against said housing and inner member and tending to urge said valve elements to disengaged position.

9. A control valve adapted forconnectlon to a tubular string or the like, including telescopically arranged inner and outer tubular members spaced from one another to form an annular passage therebetween,- valve elements on said members engageable with one 'another when said members are in extended position to close said annular passage, a housing detachably secured to said outer member and extending along said inner member to one side of said valve elements, said housing conducting lluid between said passage and the exterior of said control valve, an abutment secured to said inner member, and a spring bearing against said abutment and housing for urging said members to contracted position and said. valve elements to disengaged position.

10. A control valve adapted for connection to a tubular string or the like, including telescopically arranged inner and outer tubular members spaced from one another to form an annular passage therebetween, aml internally splined couplingv .member secured to said outer member, splines on said inner member engageable with the splines of said ooupling member, valve elements on said members engageable with one another whensaid members are in extended position to close said annular passage, a housing detachably secured to said coupling member, and a spring in saidvhousing bearing against said housing and inner memv,ber and tending to urge said members to con-l tracted position and said valve elements to disengaged position.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record inthe ille o! this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number l Name Date 1,366,590 Y Witman Oct. 26, 1920 1,639,004 Riley Aug. 16, 1927 1,756,499 Allen Apr. 29. 1930 2,048,858 Gibbs July 28, 1936 2,196,664 Xotahl Apr. 9, 1940 2,245,638 Baker June 17, 1941 Baker Mar. 10, 1942 

